How to Lose Weight with Virgin Coconut Oil

Are you tired of endless fad diets that don't work? There are thousands of books and gadgets out there claiming to help you lose those unwanted pounds. One problem with a lot of diets is they're hard to stay on for long periods of time. We end up 'falling' off our diets and we gain back the weight we might have lost. Not only that, we feel frustrated and feel that we’ve failed when we can't 'stick' to a diet.

Low-fat diets have been around for years. Unfortunately, low-fat diets eliminate a very important nutrient that our bodies needs...fats! Our bodies need fats to absorb certain minerals and vitamins. Fats are also used to make cellular membranes and important hormones. Cutting fats completely from your diet can really affect how well your body functions.

Introducing virgin coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is gaining popularity as a healthy way to lose weight. Now before you jump the gun and say that coconut oil is bad for you, listen to this...What we're talking about is 'virgin' coconut oil. Regular coconut oil is highly refined and loaded with cholesterol. Virgin coconut oil is a completely different form of coconut oil by the way it's processed. It's one of the healthiest dietary oils on the planet.

4) Virgin coconut oil is made up fats that are digested more efficiently than regular saturated fats

Virgin coconut oil is different than other fats. Traditional fats from butter, meats and whole milk are stored in your body cells; waiting to be burned for energy at a later time. This can lead to increased fat stores, increased body weight, and higher cholesterol levels.

Virgin coconut oil is made up of special fats called medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). When you eat MCFAs, they're immediately sent to your liver and converted into a rapid source of energy. This means more energy levels for you. Increased energy levels means you'll burn even more calories - leading to faster weight loss.

Another good thing about virgin coconut oil is that it reduces your food cravings. One problem with low-fat diets is they don't supply you with enough dietary fat for normal metabolic functions and growth. This makes your body crave fat....Did you ever notice how a low-fat diet always seems to leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied? This is your body's way of telling you that it's missing something from your diet. These food cravings may cause you to snack throughout the day, leading to more weight gain and frustration. Adding virgin coconut oil to your diet may help reduce food cravings you might get with a low-fat diet. Eliminating food cravings means you won't be snacking as much during the day. This lowers your total calories which can lead to faster weight loss for you.

How much virgin coconut oil should you take to lose weight? Most literature suggests you start with 1 tablespoon per day and work your way up to 2 - 3 tablespoons per day. Since you're getting a healthy source of dietary fat in your diet, you need to cut back on all other saturated fats in your diet. Most of your healthy fat calories will be from the virgin coconut oil, which are digested and metabolized faster than traditional fats. A great way to take virgin coconut oil is by mixing it into fruit smoothies or protein shakes.

Virgin coconut oil is also one of the healthiest oils to use for frying foods in. Most vegetable oils can suffer heat damage when used during high heat frying. Oils such as olive oil make great salad dressings, but may suffer oxidative damage from high heat frying. Virgin coconut oil is not affected by high heat or experiences chemical changes during frying.

How much weight can you lose with virgin coconut oil? This is a good question and a hard one to answer. It will depend on your general level of health and your overall metabolism. Every body is a unique individual and will respond differently when they try to lose weight. I believe the key to successful weight loss is by eating a healthy diet, along with consistent moderate exercise. Please remember to consult your physician before beginning any weight loss/exercise regimen.

In conclusion, virgin coconut oil is a healthy alternative to traditional vegetable oils that can help you lose weight. Your body gets a great source of dietary fat for optimum health. This leaves you feeling full and satisfied after each meal, reducing food cravings. The medium chain fatty acids in virgin coconut oil are rapidly converted to energy. This speeds up your metabolism and you burn more calories.

Don't forget that virgin coconut oil isn't refined, bleached or deodorized. It's a healthy oil with no cholesterol or hydrogenated fats. What more could your body ask for?

Author's Bio:

Kevin Lee is owner of http://www.healthy-oil-planet.com a website dedicated to the health benefits of fish oils, emu oil, tea tree oil and more. Visit his site and learn how you can improve your health with healthy oils.